Japan approved a record defense budget of $56 billion for fiscal year 2024 on December 22, marking an increase of more than 16 percent over this year.

The new budget is expected to strengthen the nation’s air and missile defense systems, accelerate the development of long-range cruise missiles, and pay for F-35 stealth combat jets and other American weapons.

The record-high budget marks a further break from Article 9 of Japan’s Constitution: to never use force as a means of settling international disputes.

More and more spending: Japan aims to increase its annual spending to around $68 billion, which would make it the world’s third-largest military spender after the United States and China. It plans to spend $300 billion through 2027.

Exporting weapons: On the same day, Japan also partially lifted a ban on lethal weapons exports by allowing shipments of Japanese-made weapons and components under foreign licenses.

Japan quickly approved the first shipment of Japanese-made guided missiles to the United States under a U.S. license. “The scope, scale and speed of Japan’s security reforms have been unprecedented,” U.S. ambassador to Japan Rahm Emanuel said, calling the easing of the export ban a “historic decision.”

Prophecy says: Japan will continue on its path to increase its military spending, as it has gradually for many years. Its record defense budget marks another step toward the formation of a massive, multinational Asian army prophesied in your Bible.

Learn more: Read our Trends article “Why the Trumpet Watches Japan’s March Toward Militarism.”